Why Did You Go Away?
by InsanityShips
Summary: Did we forget season one happened? A painful take on season two, where I point out all the pain this new writing causes my OTP and Miles will hopefully fix his new-found treachery. Skips a few episodes to start at the point where I got a plot bunny. SPOILER WARNING. INCEST WARNING. Charlie/Miles. Rating T for now, may change later if I update more. Reviews welcome!
1. Chapter 1

Everything seems wrong.

As Charlie stepped through the gates of the town, everything seems wrong.

People are crying. Fires are burning. Bodies are covering the ground like a carpet.

Her eyes landed on a man facedown on the ground and her heart stopped. His jacket looks just like one Miles has. He hadn't worn it in a while, sure, but...

She rolled him over as she held her breath, then made a little noise of relief. It wasn't Miles.

"What happened here?" she asked, reaching out to catch a woman's attention.

"The war clan attacked!" the woman wailed hysterically, tears pouring down her face as she yanked her arm free and skidded away.

Charlie froze. "War clan?" she mumbled in confusion. She flicked her eyes upwards, looking at wagons, platforms, and balconies. Miles would be higher up, giving orders, right? That's what he did. He took charge.

He wasn't there.

She swallowed down the lump in her throat, moving through the streets as she tried to find him, calling out his name. She turned a corner and swallowed down a cry as she saw him, talking to someone she'd never seen before.

She heard him asking _where is _as she walked closer and her eyes lit up, because he was worried about-

"Rachel?!"

That brought her to a screeching halt, blinking in confusion.

"Have you seen her?! Is she okay?!" Miles demanded of his companion.

Charlie tilted her head just a little, blue eyes welling up with tears she tried so hard to fight. Of course he wouldn't be asking after her, he didn't even know she was there. Why he'd be asking after Rachel was a question that puzzled her, though. She'd thought Gramps was looking after her.

"Miles! Miles, I'm here!" She heard Rachel's voice echo across the street as a head of blonde hair pushed its way through the crowd towards Miles.

"Rachel, thank g-" The rest of his response was muffled as he swept Rachel into his arms and buried his face in her hair as she clung to him, arms around his waist.

Everything else around Charlie disappeared. The people, the noise, the stench, everything. All she could focus on was the horrific scene in front of her, watching Miles cuddle her mother and stroke her hair, lips moving as he murmured what could only be comforts.

"He does that," a smooth voice said from behind Charlie. She whipped her head around, eyes wide, to see none other than Sebastian Monroe.

"I thought I lost you!" she hissed. "What are you doing here!"

"You've learned a few tricks, Charlotte, I give you that, but..." He flashed her a quick serpent's grin. "I've got some experience on you yet."

She scowled darkly at him but couldn't find the words to speak, her gaze dragged back to Miles and Rachel who were now locked in a kiss that made Charlie wish she hadn't looked around.

"Give it some time and a few wild nights and he'll move on from her too, Charlotte," Bass murmured in her ear, standing directly behind her. "You'll get your turn."

Charlie spun, not sure whether she was ready to punch him, cry on him, or demand what the hell 'move on from her _too_' meant, but he was already gone.

When she glanced over her shoulder, she saw Rachel walking away with Miles, his arm around her waist as he tucked her up to his side.

"You said you wouldn't leave me," she whispered in a quiet, small voice, a byproduct of her first broken heart.


	2. Chapter 2

**AUTHOR NOTE:**

I'm trying to get another chapter thrown out before tomorrow night, so I can address some things like the arrow that impaled Rachel. o.O (I did warn spoilers in the description, so if anyone is going O_O? it's not my fault! XD) This is kind of rushed, but I need to get past this so that I can use all my good plot bunnies. I hope you enjoy anyway! :)

* * *

Charlie was the kind of person who liked to focus her attention elsewhere when something went wrong. Usually, that manifested in the kind of senseless positivity that drove Miles batty.

This time, she didn't have a positive. There was no bright side.

There was also no Miles to throw her happy thoughts at and receive a raincloud of snark from.

She put her head down, the way she did a lot more often these days, and started to work. Buildings needed boarding up. People needed medical care and transportation. The entire town needed a security makeover.

She was helping an elderly woman limp towards the closest building to sit her down and examine her injuries, when there was a dull _thump _and the woman went limp.

Time stood still as Charlie looked at the axe which had embedded itself in the back of the woman's head. Then, things moved in slow motion as she turned around, eyes wide.

"There's more of them!" someone screamed at the top of their lungs. Charlie thought she was the one who had said it, but she wasn't really sure.

People went flying in every direction, like a group of chickens who had a cat pounce in the middle of them while they were resting. Knives whizzed through the air and a couple guns were fired off. Bodies fell.

Charlie saw the flashing of a sword and that damn jacket that belonged to Miles, but the man she saw was fighting with his left hand. That couldn't be right. Miles didn't fight with his left hand.

A man hit the ground dead beside her, but she barely noticed. A man with a very large knife was attacking who she could only assume was Miles. Normally that could only spell death for the idiot who had attacked _Miles Matheson_, but this man seemed to be winning.

She was skidding across the street in moments, drawing a knife from her hip to save her arrows for long-distance targets.

As she got closer, she was quite horrified to realize that the man who had hit the ground was indeed Miles. A two second glance showed her that his right arm was in a sling. How had she missed that before? (The fact Rachel was wrapped around him might have had something to do with it, her subconscious settled on.)

She pushed her questions aside as she plunged her knife into the man's back, twisting it and yanking it back out. His body fell to the ground, but she didn't care.

"Welcome back, kid," was the thank you she got from Miles as he picked himself up off the ground.

She scowled at him, barely willing to acknowledge his existence. "What the hell is going on here?!" she demanded.

"We pissed off a war clan," he said as casual as could be. "Which is pretty easy, actually. Since they're a _war clan _and all."

She pressed her lips together in a flat smile. "You're hysterical," she said dryly. "What did you do?"

He squinted at her. "Why do you always assume it's me?"

"This isn't really the time for me to list all the reasons," she informed him. "What do we do?"

There was a slight pause. "Not die?"

She bit down hard on her tongue to keep down every snappish reply that wanted to surface and expose her squishy inner feelings.

He swallowed, knowing something wasn't right. Charlie would never miss the chance for a witty comeback. "Go hide somewhere until this is over. I'll come find you."

She could practically feel herself turn bright red with anger at his suggestion to hide. "Excuse me? I-" She was cut off by the sound of someone calling for Miles, the voice getting closer.

He snapped his head up instantly. "Rachel?!"

"Miles!" Charlie heard her mother scream as she staggered into view, an arrow protruding from her chest.

_Good, I hope the bitch dies, _she heard herself think. She knew she should regret that. It was her mother, after all.

Any regret she might have had was squashed instantly as she watched Miles abandon her side and rush for her mother's instead.

"Just hold on! Rachel, hold on!" he was saying as he held her close with his good arm, trying to find a way to scoop her up. "I've got you, just hold on!"

Charlie found herself staring at a horror in front of her yet again as Rachel limped away from the fighting, leaning against Miles.

The sound of a gun going off broke her from her stupor as she remembered that there _was _a fight going on and if she didn't pay attention, she'd end up as dead as the people she'd been trying to help.

As she bolted back towards the fighting, drawing her crossbow, she still found herself wishing her mother wouldn't make it.


	3. Chapter 3

Charlie wasn't entirely sure how or where the fight had come to an end. Swords were flashing, axes were being thrown, people were being impaled by daggers, when suddenly the sound of automatic gunfire rang through the air.

The members of the war clan were cut down or chased out of town. There wasn't a single town casualty from the gunfire.

A man who seemed to be in charge had been rambling about Patriots and Cuba and the United States Government, but it was all gibberish to Charlie. She didn't care.

All she cared about was locating Miles and making sure he'd made it out okay. Finding her mother's corpse would be a bonus, too.

As she wandered through the door of her grandfather's home, she faltered. What if he'd been killed? Would she care? Did he mean anything to her?

She heard some noise upstairs, someone scuffling around, so she drew her dagger and crept her way towards the sound.

She was just reaching out for the door, fingers brushing the knob, when it was wrenched open from the inside and she was met with the tip of a sword.

"...Miles," she said as coolly as possible.

The man wielding the sword grumbled under his breath, lowering it. "Damnit, Charlie. You're gonna get yourself turned into a shish-kebab at this rate."

She smiled primly at him. "From what I saw today, it's more likely you'd miss."

"Do not make me stab you in the shoulder," he threatened, sheathing his sword. "What're you doing here?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Checking to make sure you're not dead. What the hell was that out there? You almost got killed!"

He shrugged, turning away from her. "More's the pity."

She faltered, opening her mouth to chide him, when her eyes settled on the bed and her mother's still form. "Is she dead?"

"Not yet." Miles didn't turn around. "I reckon she'll pull through. I'm not a doctor, though."

_Here's hoping you're wrong, _Charlie thought to herself, not moving from the door frame. "The hell happened to your hand?

He chuckled, but it sounded wrong. His laugh had always sounded broken, but this just sounded flat. "Are you blind? It's broken."

She growled at him, and he couldn't help but be amused. "_How _did it get broken?"

"I," he started, turning around to look at her. "...got captured."

Her eyes widened in abject horror. "You what?! How?! By who?!" She paused and winced. "...war clan."

"You're smart," he drawled as he turned away again, uncapping a bottle with his good hand.

She huffed and stalked across, snatching it away from him. "Put that shit down and talk to me."

"Why?" he demanded, looking at her with amusement in his eyes. "What's there to talk about?"

"How about the fact there's a bunch of United States people running around?!" she exclaimed. "Or the fact that you're here?! Or the fact you're _all over my mother!"_

He faltered, then his eyes darkened angrily. "What the hell did you expect?!" he said, raising his voice. "You're the one that left! You!"

She locked her jaw. "I had to. I had to find-"

"Bass?!" he shouted. "Is that what this is about?! You want to run off and find Bass but get pissed when I'm here with your mother?! Looking after her?!"

"You sure were wrapped around her well enough!" she screamed, but her voice broke, giving away her heartbreak.

He stared at her quietly for a moment, swallowing hard. "Charlie," he breathed. "What..."

She trembled and turned away, still clutching the bottle of alcohol tightly. "I hope you're happy," she said, dangerously quiet.

He didn't speak, staring at the back of her head because _no, _he wasn't happy, damnit. All he wanted was to move across and take her into his arms and never let go of her again, although he suspected if he tried right now he'd walk away with more than a broken hand.

"By the way," she said as she hovered in the doorway, voice flat and casual. "I brought Bass."

Before he could form a response, she'd disappeared down the hall.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author Note: **O_O TWO UPDATES IN ONE DAY! Haha, I'm trying to crank these out before Revolution tonight so I don't get behind. I've been trying to use one chapter per episode, but the previous chapter was pure fiction, so I decided to split the two. Finally some hints as to what Bass has been up to... hope you enjoy!

* * *

Sebastian Monroe never ceased to be amused by Rachel.

It seemed if she wasn't getting herself into trouble, she was making some equally stupid decision.

For example, when he'd followed her to a bar and sat down within earshot, he heard her running her mouth to her companion about everything.

That particularly amused him, considering he'd kept her captive for years and she'd never said a word. And yet here she was, spilling her guts to someone he could only assume she hadn't seen in years.

When they'd left together, Bass had laughed and buried his nose in his drink. He'd honestly considered not interfering and just letting things play out, but then he remembered Charlie's face when she'd seen the wanted poster for her mom.

He grumbled to himself and got to his feet, putting his jacket back on and following the two out.

He really hadn't been surprised when they'd disappeared to the basement.

"Rachel, you are dumber than I thought," he grumbled, strolling through in his own sweet time as he heard the ruckus below.

By the time he got down there, he could hear the man apologizing for something, rambling about a crush. Bass chuckled a bit, realizing this was going to be ridiculously easy.

He paused outside the door for just a moment, then knocked it in with his shoulder and pointed a pistol at the man's head. "Bet you're sorry now, aren't you," he murmured.

"Who the hell are you?!" the man yelped in confusion.

"...Monroe?!" was Rachel's loud input on the matter of his identity.

He winced. "Thank you, for your subtlety, Rachel. I appreciate it. Besides, how many times have I told you to call me Bass?"

With that said, he lunged in one quick motion, cracking the gun across the man's temple and sending him sprawling.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Rachel demanded, writhing against her chains.

Bass smirked and moved across to her, until he was just inches away. "Relax, Rachel," he murmured, dragging the gun from her neck, over her breast and down to her hip. "If I wanted you dead... or hurt... I wouldn't have followed you."

"Don't touch me," she hissed viciously, struggling harder. "Don't you dare touch me!"

He quirked a half smile. "I'm guessing you don't want me to let you down, then?"

"Don't. Touch. Me," she repeated through gritted teeth.

He chuckled and nodded, backing away. "If you insist. You know I hate disappointing a lady."

"Go to hell," she snapped.

"Funny," he murmured, turning away. "That's exactly what your daughter said to me."

He walked out, leaving the door open behind him, listening to her angered shouts all the way up the stairs.

He never stopped grinning.

* * *

Charlie was running.

She didn't know where she was going or why she was even running. She just wanted to get away. Away from the town, away from her mother, away from Miles and his damn voice.

She'd always loved his voice. From the instant he'd spoken, it had fascinated her. It was low and gruff. When he got angry, his voice dropped somehow. He sounded dangerous, like a wild animal rattling its cage.

Even with all of that, it was so comforting. When she'd buried her face and cried over Maggie, he'd murmured comforts. He'd promised he'd never leave her. His voice had stopped her tears and patched her heart up.

Now, all his voice did was eat away at her inside, because all she could hear was him talking to Rachel. Promising her he was there. Calling her name.

"Charlie! Charlie!"

She paused and squinted, confused for a split second because that was the very voice she was daydreaming about. "Miles?"

She heard the sound of him running up behind her, slowing down now that he'd found her. "Damnit, Charlie, where are you going?!"

"Away," she mumbled, starting to walk again. "What's it to you?"

"I'm not letting you go again!" he heard himself snap. She came to an abrupt halt, so he swallowed and lowered his voice. "Not again. I made a mistake. I'm not making it again."

Her shoulders trembled, but she forced herself to not look around. "Why?"

He squinted one eye closed, the way that always made her laugh, but she didn't see. "Why was it a mistake or why am I not making it again? Be specific."

"Miles!" she yelped in frustration, turning around and scowling at him.

"It was a mistake because I don't want to be without you," he murmured, stepping closer and putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm not making it again... because I can't lose you."

She looked up into his eyes with her big, blue ones. He smiled just a little and her breath caught, because his smile was so damn rare. "You never lost me," she mumbled.

He swallowed. "Charlie, I-"

"Freeze!" a loud voice demanded. "Put your hands where I can see them!"

Miles cursed himself eternally and rolled his eyes. "Will one hand do? The other's in a sling." The response was a gun being pressed to the back of his head. "...I guess not."

Charlie's hand twitched to grab the dagger off her hip, but she was thwarted by a gun being pointed at her face too. "Don't even think about it, missy."

She glared, eyes filling with hate, then looked to Miles slowly. He had his usual bored expression on his face, but looking in his eyes, Charlie knew he didn't see an escape for them.

She tensed her body, gearing up to lunge for the man behind Miles and maybe cause enough of a distraction that they could gain the upper hand.

Before she could, the dark night was suddenly lit up by flames. It took her brain a second to process where it was coming from.

The men were on fire.

The dropped their guns, screaming and yelling, staggering and stumbling around as they slowly burned to death.

Charlie looked at Miles in absolute confusion, and was surprised to see him staring back at her, eyes equally wide.

"What the hell just happened?" he said after a moment, breaking the silence.

"They just...caught on fire!" she exclaimed, eyeing one of the corpses.

He huffed and rolled his eyes. "Good work, Sherlock."

She blinked at him. "...what?"

"Never mind," he grumped, reaching down and retrieving one of the guns. "Can we go back now?"

She swallowed and nodded, stepping closer to him, suddenly feeling very afraid of the vast darkness surrounding them.

"It'll be okay," he murmured, voice dropping softly as he reached out and took her hand. "I've got you."


End file.
